OTTB on Tap
by Niamh O'Connell and Emily Kocubinski
A podcast about all things related to Off Track Thoroughbreds, written and produced by Emily Kocubinski and Niamh O'Connell
Podcast episodes
Season 1
Ep 20 - First Steps with Annika: Restarting former OTTB Broodmares for Ranch Work, Barrels & Western Dressage
Ep 20 - First Steps with Annika: Restarting former OTTB Broodmares for Ranch Work, Barrels & Western Dressage
Welcome to the first installment of our OTTB on Tap - Retired Racehorse Project collaboration! On today’s show, we have Annika Greaney-Stanger who has two OTTBs that she is retraining for the 2024 RRP Makeover in some varied disciplines including Ranch Work, Barrels, Trail and maybe some Western Dressage. Both horses are former broodmares and racehorses. Tizso Majestic, “Tessa” a 2013 mare (Majestic Warrior - Piazza Grande, by Hennessy and Egoli a 2016 mare (Quality Road - Somasach, by Johannesburg). In this episode, we chat with Annika about what it is like to restart two very different OTTB mares, especially after a long time off. She gives us tips and insights into both mares’ personalities and explains how she likes to approach some tricky topics, like introducing her OTTBs to cows and ranch work for the first time. Being located in Fargo, ND, Annika also talks about transitioning OTTBs off the track in that climate, and the challenges (or advantages!) of trailering her horses long-distance for most of her showing throughout the year. Annika is also participating in the Make the Makeover: your contribution to an individual trainer fundraiser through the 2024 Make the Makeover campaign can help them earn refunded entry fees, AND help produce the biggest movement in Thoroughbred aftercare, the Thoroughbred Makeover. Donate to Annika’s Make the Makeover Campaign Past episodes in the RRP Trainer Chronicles: Ep 14: OTTB on Tap: RRP Trainer Chronicles - Meet the Trainers Learn more about Annika Greaney-Stanger
"Go Vinnie, Go!" Heather Gillette and 'The White Wonder' take on the Kentucky Three Day Event
Join us for Episode 19, where we chat candidly with Heather Gillette, 5-star event rider, graduate 'A' Pony Clubber from Spring Valley Hounds PC in NJ, USEF Licensed Eventing Dressage Judge and Technical Delegate, Co-Chairperson of the USEA’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee and Co-Founder of Strides for Equality Equestrians. Not only is Heather a very experienced eventing competitor, as her career has spanned both the long- and short-formats of three day eventing, she just may be one of the biggest fans of off-track Thoroughbreds (OTTBs) that we’ve ever known. This week, she will contest the Cosequin® Lexington CCI4*-S with her OTTB, Vincent Chase. Find out all about the highs and lows that Heather has experienced with her enthusiastic cross country partner, nicknamed ‘The White Wonder’ for his stark white appearance. We can’t wait to cheer her and Vinnie on! Heather is also passionate about her role as co-founder of Strides for Equality Equestrians (SEE), an allyship program for the equestrian community. Founded in 2020, SEE seeks to address the lack of racial and ethnic diversity in equestrian sports by supporting access programs and professional pathways for BIPOC equestrians and by engaging and educating allies. Learn more about Strides for Equality Equestrians. Donate to Strides for Equality Equestrians through the USEA website. #thebestweekendallyear #theroadtoky #eventing #ottbontap #ottb #offtrackthoroughbreds #ottbtransformation #stridesforequality #SEE
Ep 18 - Scouting the Way: Niamh's Strategic Journey to Fund Her Dream Horse
Have you ever wondered if there was a shortcut to saving up to buy your dream horse? Well... maybe there is no shortcut, other than winning the lottery. But, you can buy and sell a series of horses in order to build enough capital to make that big purchase. In this episode, Scouting the Way: Niamh's Strategic Journey to Fund Her Dream Horse, our co-host, Niamh shares her path to eventually buying her dream horse. Since winning the lottery didn’t happen, Niamh strategically purchased a series of nice, young OTTBs, and put quality training and eventually, show miles into them, and then upon realization that her most recent OTTB, Set Out or "Scout", had grown into a horse that was too big and powerful for her to capitalize on his potential, she sold him in order to buy the horse that suited her best. Listen to learn all about Scout and Niamh’s wonderful partnership, and how she navigated her journey to finding and purchasing the right horse for her. Want to learn more about Niamh's journey? Listen to Niamh's previous episode about her first OTTB, and all the mistakes she made!
Ep 17 - OTTB on Tap Clinic Recap: Riding OTTBs with Olympian William Fox-Pitt
William Fox-Pitt needs no introduction to Eventing fans: The British 3-Day Event Rider’s many awards include multiple Olympic, World Equestrian Games, and European Championship medals. In 2011, he became the first rider to win five different five-star events, having won the Burghley Horse Trials a record six times, Rolex Kentucky three times, Pau twice, the Badminton Horse Trials twice, and the Luhmühlen Horse Trials once. A serious fall in 2015 left him in a coma for two weeks, but he came back to make the British eventing team and attend the 2016 Summer Olympics. He was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2018 Birthday Honours. In March of 2024, we were fortunate to have William cross the pond to the USA and teach a series of jumping clinics. We spoke to participants that rode OTTBs in 3 of the clinics in South Carolina, Maryland, and Pennsylvania this spring. We were lucky enough to interview 4 riders: Rachael Grice riding Pastiche “Annie”, a 2015 OTTB mare by Congrats in the Novice division at The Vista in Aiken (starts at 00:01:00) Liz Harrison riding Bombero, a one-eyed 2014 OTTB gelding by Friesan Fire in the Modified/Prelim division at Kealani Farm, PA (starts at 00:22:20) Taylor Cusack riding Clear Crossing (Eventing Rebellion), a 2014 OTTB gelding by Hunt Crossing in the Novice division at Loch Moy, MD (starts at 00:50:20) Rachel Childers riding Debutante Ball “Whimsy”, a 2012 OTTB mare by Corinthian in the Novice at the Vista in Aiken (starts at 01:20:00) Listen to find out what it’s like to ride with a living legend! -------------- #OTTBonTap #OffTheTrackThoroughbreds #EquestrianPodcast #ThoroughbredLove #EventingLife #RiderGoals #EquineAdventures #HorsePodcast #RidingStories #PodcastRecommendation #OTTBsofInstagram #OTTBsofTiktok #OTTBtransformation #Eventing #podcastseries #womenpodcasters #newpodcastepisode More details & reference about William: Wikipedia https://www.foxpitteventing.co.uk/profile/
Ep. 16: Eventing Long Format on an OTTB, Part 3: Emily Makes a Splash at Rolex Kentucky
In today’s episode, we continue with Part 3 of Emily’s story as she tells it to co-host Niamh about training and competing her OTTB, Alexander, up to the Advanced level of eventing. While still a Young Rider, she rode him at the Rolex Kentucky Three Day Event in 1999. We’ll talk about the highs and lows of competing at the highest levels of eventing while also being a working student, competing on limited funds, and what it’s like to gallop on that hallowed Kentucky bluegrass. How did their first starts at this level go? Listen to OTTB on Tap Episode 16 now to find out! Series notes: Part 1 - Episode 6: Eventing Long Format: Why you wanted to be sitting on an OTTB Part 2 - Episode 15: Eventing Long Format on an OTTB, Part 2: The Journey of Emily and Alex continues! Part 3 - Episode 16: Eventing Long Format on an OTTB, Part 3: Emily Makes a Splash at Rolex Kentucky (this episode) Learn more and check out bonus pics and videos! ---- #OTTBOnTap #OTTB #Thoroughbred #RolexKentucky #Eventing #EquestrianPodcast #ThreeDayEvent #Eventer #PodcastEpisode #EquestrianJourney #HorsePodcast #podcastclips #RiderStories #eventinglife #womenpodcasters #newpodcastepisode